Container and blank therefor



July 10, 1962 H. M. HILL 3,043,491

CONTAINER AND BLANK THEREFOR Filed Jan. 15, 1962 FIGJ 24 @Qg 24 i 30 4| 4o 39 37{ 4 H5 164' 2 H7 Lem 3,043,491 CONTAINER AND BLANK TIEREFGR Howard M. Hill, Hamilton, Va. Filed Jan. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 166,197 7 Claims. (Cl. 229-17) This invention relates to containers for liquids such as milk and the like and has particular reference to a fibre container of improved construction adapted to be rapidly and easily formed in a packaging plant.

The invention, in some respects, constitutes an in1-" body blank for a container to provide easier manufacture at high speed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicient method of producing a complete container from a one piece blank.

A further object of the invention is to lower the cost of manufacture of a container madelfrom a simple blank.

Yet another object is to provide a container that can be made on simplified machinery.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent as it is better understood from the following description which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the blank used in making the container with the lower end of the blank broken away:

FIGURE 1A is a partial plan view of a modified form of the blank of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 1B is a partial plan view of a second modified form of the blank of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the blank of FIGURE 1 after a first folding and gluing operation;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the upper end of the partially formed container;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the upper end of the finished container;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the upper end of the finished container opened for filling or dispensing a product;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the lines 6-6 in FIGURE 5 to a larger scale with parts broken away;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the lines 77 in FIGURE 5 to a larger scale with parts broken away.

As a preferred embodiment of the instant invention FIGURES 1 through 7 of the drawings illustrate a container of square cross section comprised of a body blank 11 folded to form a tubular body 12 having four sidewalls closed at its upper end by an integral flat filling and dispensing top closure 13. The bottom end of the container may be closed in any suitable manner. I

The blank 11 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is scored for folding on four vertical lines 14, 15, 16, and 17 dividing the body forming area into five panels 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22. A horizontal score line 23 extends from one vertical edge of blank 11 to the other setting off narrow end seam retaining flange areas 24 at the upper ends of panels 18, 19, 21, and 22. Score line 23 also forms the line of connection and line of fold of integral top closure member 25 to the upper end of body panel 20. Top closure member 25 is of square configuration having a side equal to the l 3,043,49l Patented July 10, 1962 r t l ber 32 of substantially the size and shape of top closure member 25 and defined in outline by vertical score line 29, short horizontal cut 33, short vertical cut 34, horizontal cut 35, vertical cut 36, horizontal cut 37, a short angular cut 38, horizontal cut 39, a short angular cut 40, and a short horizontal cut 41.

In the last described outline lie the great advantages gained through this invention-namely, transposition of material from a strong point in a container to reinforce an otherwise weak point by proper cutting and folding. This is accomplished as shown at 42 and 43 in FIGURE 2. It is very desirable in a container having a-pouring opening at one corner to have the opening as near the corner as practicable to accomplish easy and controlled pouring. In such a construction as that shown in my co-pending patent under Serial No. 98,400 the desire to place the pouring opening as near the corner as possible may reduce the margin at the edge of the filling and dispensing opening in the triangular interconnecting member to a dangerously narrow width. I have overcome this possible danger in my present invention bynotching out a part of retaining flange 24 situated at the upper end of sidewall panel 21 as at 42 and 43 in FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 2 and allowing the notched out portion 42 of flange 24 to remain attached to triangular interconnecting member 44. As can be seen in FIGURES 2, 5, and 6' the material 42 notched out of flange 24 provides a third full width layer of reinforcement between pouring opening 45 and edge 39. As can be seen in FIGURE 7 the container is not unduly weakened at the other point where the pouring hole approaches nearest to the edge since at this point three layer construction is provided by top closure member 25, interconnecting member 44, and end seam ledge 49.

A further valuable feature of this disclosure lies in the construction of the blank at 33 and 34 in FIGURE 1 'where these two outs and removal of a small piece of scrap material provide a shield that permits solid corner construction in the finished container as at 51 (FIG. 4) while retaining an integral one piece body top and shield structure. This is also a contributing factor toward simplification of tools and production machinery.

Continuing with the description of the container, auxiliary top closure member 32 (FIG. 1) is divided by a diagonal 46 into two substantially triangular areas 44 and 47. Area 44 is perforated by an opening 45 in such a position that when area 44 is folded 180 degrees about score line 29 openings 31 and 45 coincide. Area 47 is perforated by an opening 48 in such a position that when area 47 is folded 180 degrees about score line 46 openings 48 and 45 coincide.

While the lower part of the container and blank have not been shown the container may be closed at its lower end by an integral flap or fiaps or a separate piece of material may be used as a bottom closure.

In FIGURE 1A, a modified form of auxiliary top closure member '32 is shown as 32a. In this modified form narrow lips 53a and 54a, used at the two free edges of area 47a, are designed to be folded over the edge of the finished container at the pouring corner.

In FIGURE 1B, a further modified form of auxiliary top closure member is shown as 32b. In this modified form the corners of the auxiliary top closure member have been cut off along lines 55b and 56b leaving short lips ber 47.

is then folded out of the plane of the drawing about score line 29, and area 44 is brought into contact with a corresponding area of top closure member 25 and-adhesively attached thereto. At this time openings 45 and 31 register to form a filling and dispensing opening (FIG. 2). Next, body sidewall panel 20 is placed against a mandrel and panels 18, 1'9, 21, and 22 are folded into the plane of the drawing about the mandrel and glued at side seam 50 to form the container body 12 of FIGURE 3. Substantially triangular shield 47 may now be folded about score line 46 and plug 52 attached as shown in FIGURE 3. In this same figure, body 1.2. is shown after a neckingin operation toproduce peripheral ledge 49 and upstanding end seam retaining flanges '24. Notched out section 43 of one flange 24 is also shown here. In the next oper ation top closure member 25 is hinged about score line 23 to rest on ledge 49, and While shie1d47 is held in a vertical position end seam retaining flanges 24 are glued down on three sides (FIG. 4) and top closure member 25 is glued down to ledge 49 on the fourth side (FIG. 6).- Shield '47 may now be hinged down until plug 52 enters filling and dispensing opening 31-45.

To use the container, shield 47 is hinged back withdrawing plug 52 from filling and dispensing opening 31-45. A product may then be introduced, the shield returned to'normal protective position, and plug 52 expanded to close'the filling and dispensing opening. To

dispense the contents of the container, shield 47 is raised withdrawing plug 52 and exposing filling and dispensing opening 3-1-45.

It is thought that the invention and most of its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the form hereinbefore described being a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

-1. A container for liquids comprising a tubular fibre body having four sidewalls terminating at its upper end on three sides in a necked-in area and short top closure member retaining flanges, the fourth side terminating in a necked-in area and an integral top closure member with a substantially triangular sanitary shield attached thereto by an integral substantially triangular interconnecting member, said triangular interconnecting member folded about an edge common to said top closure member and adhesively attached thereto in a substantially triangular area defined by a diagonal of said top closure member and two 'of claim 5.

edges thereof, a filling and dispensing opening in said top closure member and said interconnecting member within the triangular area, said triangular sanitary shield integrally hinged to said triangular interconnecting member along the hypotenuse and folded back over said filling and dispensing opening, said triangular interconnecting member having material forming an outwardly extending reinforcement at one edge adjacent said filling and dispensing opening, said material obtained by notching one of said top closure member retaining flanges.

2. A blank of 'foldable material adapted to be formed into a container ofsquare cross section, said blank comprising a major area substantially rectangular in configuration scored vertically in four lines dividing said major area into wall panel formingareas including two panels designedtooverlap when in folded condition, said major area also scored horizontally providing narrow end seam flange forming areas at the upper ends of two or more wallpanels, integrally hinged to the upper edge of one of said wall panel areas a substantially square top closure member and integrally hinged to a vertical edge of said-top closure member an auxiliary top closure member of substantially square configuration divided by a diagonal into two substantially triangular areas one of which is designed to form a sanitary shield in said container after folding, an opening in said top closure member in a corner adjacent said major area and said vertical hinge and an opening in said auxiliary top closure member positioned to register when said top closure member and said auxiliary top closure member are juxtaposed, said auxiliary top closure memberseparated from said major area by a out line substantially horizontal and coextensive in part with said upper edge of said major area and having a short horizontal section adjacent said opening in said auxiliary top closure member coextensive with said horizontal score line and connected to said horizontal cut line by short angular cuts providing reinforcement adjacent said opening in said auxiliary top closure member.

3. A container formed by folding and gluing said blank of claim 2. 4

4. The container claimed in claim 1 in which narrow protecting lips are integral with the two shorter edges of said triangular sanitary shield.

5. The blank claimed in claim 2 wherein said sanitary shield has a configuration other than triangular.

6. A container formed by folding and gluing the blank 7. The blank claimed in claim 2 wherein one or more bottom closure flaps is or are integrally hinged to the lower edge of one or more of said wall panel forming areas.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hill Apr. 10, 1962 

